Tangerine Sorbet with Fennel Seeds

Our market had bags of tiny tangerines on sale for next to nothing. So I gleefully stocked up, thinking the kids would still enjoy them, even with a few seeds and their tiny size.

However, spoiled by the easy-to-peel, seedless Clementines we'd had all winter - my Sprouts did NOT enjoy them - the rather plentiful seeds and their difficulty in peeling made eating one quite a task. (This always seems to happen when I think I've scored a bargain!). So there they sat.

Admittedly, citrus keeps a long time, but after two weeks, I decided they weren't disappearing, time to get creative...

I modified this recipe from a "palate-cleansing" tiny dab of fennel-citrus sorbet I once enjoyed between courses at a far-too-expensive and snooty restaurant. I hope they won't mind my aproximate copy. You'll be surprised, the fennel is an interesting and AMAZING addition!!

Yes, I suppose you could make this with any orange, or even canned mandarins, though the flavor of fresh-squeezed tangerines is intense and perfect for this sorbet.

Tangerine-Fennel Sorbet

2 egg-sized tangerines, peeled, seeded and chopped into chunks

3 1/2 cups tangerine juice (like... maybe 20 or so?)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup coconut milk (the kind in a can, not the beverage kind)

2 Tablespoons tangerine zest

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Juice the tangerines by hand (ugh! Sore wrist!) Or pick out all the seeds and blend and strain (just as much tedious work) Combine juice and sugar in a pan and simmer until sugar dissolves. Stir occasionally. Add zest and refrigerate juice overnight. Refrigerate coconut milk overnight as well.

Mix the coconut milk and juice together and put the cold ingredients in your ice-cream maker. Turn on or start freezing process, however your machine works. After it starts to thicken and freeze, add the mandarin chunks and keep freezing. When it's almost done, (It takes ours about 1/2 hour) chop the fennel seeds medium fine with a wide-blade knife and add to ice-cream-maker. Mix a few minutes more. Store sorbet in freezer to harden, an hour or so.

Serve in tiny scoops. Yum.